Government working for time-bound approval of food products

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said the government is working towards streamlining the process for time-bound approval of food products.

The health ministry along with the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) is working on this, an official release quoted him as saying Tuesday.

Nadda said: "This will not only clear the approval of several pending proposals for food products but will also give a much needed push to the domestic food processing industry, while not compromising with quality and safety of food products."

Nadda also stressed on the need to have safe and wholesome food, and the local manufacturing of food products under the government's Make in India campaign.

The health ministry recently held a review meeting with all the stakeholders under the mandate of the Food Safety and Standard Authority (FSSA) Act, 2006, to ensure that food that is consumed is safe, healthy and wholesome, and the manufacturing process adheres to standards and procedures.

Present at the meeting were stakeholders from the food processing industries, the secretary of the department of industrial policy and promotions, the secretary of the department of food processing, and the chairman and CEO of FSSAI, besides officials of the health ministry.

Nadda said that in order to ensure the quality and safety of food products, various issues pertaining to regulation under the FSSA Act were discussed at the meeting, including the mechanism for product approval.